Readers sound off on climate change, Star endorsement, ISIS, election

Climate change

Neither party has a monopoly on shortsighted views, but the blatant myopia of Republicans regarding science is clear.

Conservative deniers of climate change are willing to fiddle while Earth burns. The recent wildfires in Canada are but the latest bit of evidence these politicians ignore in favor of their constituents — the wealthiest 1 percenters and their short-term profits.

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran promises to advocate for policies to prevent listing the lesser prairie chicken as threatened or endangered. He’s obviously more concerned about the inconveniences imposed on the agricultural and energy industries than an irreplaceable species.

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So what if the Kansas of his grandchildren is devoid of nature and instead consists solely of wheat fields, oil drills and wind turbines?

Then we have the inadequate response to the Zika virus, largely attributable to small-government types who keep cutting public health funding because we all know that government is evil and only the private sector cares about human health.

We all suffer when the only criteria employed by policymakers are to magnify the next quarterly statement for the chief executives to whom they’ve sold their souls and when politicians cater to the lowest denominator among the electorate to assure re-election.

Robert Powell, Ph.D.

Independence

Endorsement

Shock and awe — The Kansas City Star endorsed the Democratic candidate for president (10-16, Editorial, “In an ugly election, the choice is clear: Hillary Clinton for president”)..

After smelling salts revived me from that stunning announcement, I tried to Google for the last time The Star endorsed a Republican for president.

After trying several different iterations of “When did The KC Star last endorse a Republican president?” alas, nothing came up. I suspect this may have actually happened, but when? Does anyone have the answer?

What wasn’t mentioned in the endorsement actually was a cause for concern. Of course, Donald Trump was given a few paragraphs of negative details, but there was no mention of a third-party candidate.

There is at least one sane, reasonable and experienced candidate running for president who should merit consideration aside from the two major-party candidates. The Star does a disservice not to mention another viable alternative.

I suppose media bias tends to be in whomever’s corner you are in, but this omission could be called little else.

Stuart Scroggs

Columbia

United against ISIS

If you’ve seen the movie “Independence Day,” you know that interstellar aliens threaten the world with annihilation. You will be heartened that, led by the United States and with the help of a scientist and a hotshot jet pilot, the world came together to defeat the common enemy.

If you’re like me, your chest swells as the president issues a call to action from the back of a truck with his “We will not go quietly into the night” rallying cry and declaration that this is “our Independence Day.”

Although I see no individual heroes, I see a distinct parallel between the movie and the current Islamic State threat.

A word of wisdom to the Islamic State: If you continue on this path, you will succeed only in uniting a world you have not seen before, and even an interstellar alien force cannot win against a world united.

Ron McIntire

Lake Tapawingo

Support USA

Now it’s all the rage for black athletes to bond together to show solidarity against racism, police targeting people of color and those who put down the Black Lives Matter movement.

Various levels of support exist for those who demonstrate various levels of contempt by refusing to salute the flag, honor the national anthem or stand up for today’s America.

They talk about a “Jim Crow” mentality, unfair treatment and targeting minorities for hate and violent attacks by those who support America as the land of the free and home of the brave. These protesters don’t see that America is by far the greatest supporter of minority rights, opportunities and advancements in the world.

America is not perfect. That will never be.

You will always have violent encounters. People will scream racism, and individual hate crimes will continue because evil people of all races will continue to exist.

Wouldn’t it be great if our athletes would focus on the great achievements in universal freedoms that America has accomplished in a relatively short time, especially over the last 50 years, and show real leadership by giving her our loyal- and pride-filled support?

Calvin Day

Kansas City

3rd political party

As the campaign continues, it seems that most people hate the choices for president. Many people find at least one of the candidates immoral and/or unfit for president, and I have met next to no one who is satisfied with the choices.

That makes it all the more confusing when people cling to the broken two-party system that does nothing other than turn people harshly against each other over mostly minor issues, clog up Congress and limit viewpoints and options. Almost any ideology or idea that doesn’t fall in line with one of the two parties’ ideas is dismissed and considered irrelevant.

I’m not saying people should vote for a third-party candidate such as Libertarian Gary Johnson, but they should at the very least consider it.

Johnson might be getting more support than any other third-party candidate has in years, but he still has no real shot at winning. That just proves the sad reality that the two-party system has become so ingrained that it has crippled American politics and vastly limited citizens’ viable choices.

Danny Toomey

Kansas City

Presidential wisdom

The following quotes from former presidents are, in a word, apropos, especially in light of the current presidential — and other —campaigns:

“Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm.” —James Madison